The basketball floor at Memorial Center will be ready for play Thursday night when the Buccaneers take on Charleston AAU.

Wednesday, November 13, 2002

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 12, 2002) -The East Tennessee State University men's basketball team, winners of two-straight Southern Conference North Division championships, will make its 2002-‘03 debut Thursday, Nov. 14, in an exhibition game against Charleston AAU at Memorial Center. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m.
Over the last two days, the floor at Memorial Center has undergone its annual change over from football to basketball and all is now ready for the hoops season to begin. Admission to Thursday night's game will be free and ETSU staff will be on hand to take season ticket orders from fans that wish to support the Bucs throughout the upcoming campaign.
The Buccaneers have garnered their share of preseason accolades this year. ETSU was picked to finish first in the North Division by both the coaches and the media, and junior forwards Jerald Fields (Gainesville, Fla.) and Zakee Wadood (Lonoke, Ark.) were both selected as preseason first-team All-SoCon players.
Bucs' fans will be treated to some familiar faces at Thursday night's game, as former ETSU greats Greg Dennis and Calvin Talford will suit up for the Charleston squad. Both Dennis and Talford were part of ETSU teams that made four-straight trips to the NCAA tournament from 1989-92.
ETSU has recorded back-to-back 18-10 seasons and will open its regular season schedule Nov. 22 at 7:30 p.m. against Guilford College before going on the road to face Southeastern Conference foe South Carolina Sunday, Nov. 24, in Columbia, S.C.